This Epiphany season, our sermons are focusing on how we as Christians can better understand the Way of Love, seven essential practices for a Christ-centered life. Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, describes the Way of Love as a transformative, intentional commitment to follow Jesus in our daily lives. This week, Rev. Jonathan continued the series with a focus on the practice of blessing. Click the black and white “play” button above to hear the sermon!

“Jeremiah encourages the people to, no matter what your circumstances are, put your trust in something that will outlast the human system. That that will outlast the ways that mortals do things. That will outlast the flesh, and that in some sense transcends our humanity. Not to say that humanity is wrong or is bad, but there’s a way of getting to a higher plane. And these practices, in our way of life as Christians, allow us to do that… we are able to put our roots close to a water source that allow us, even in the times when there is a drought, to be nourished and indeed to produce fruit for the world. Good fruit for our communities…

I have not known in myself, and I have not known in others that my capacity, or our capacity as humans, to love others better grows by cursing other people… I have never seen someone whose ability to tear others down leads them to a life of being more loving towards others. However, what I have seen in my own life and in others, is that those times when I’m willing to bless - even when I disagree, even when I’ve been offended or wronged - that my capacity for love grows. And if this whole thing is about how we can be more loving as a community, then I am happy we are talking as a church about how we practice blessing others… So may we be a community of blessing. May we be individuals and people who seek to speak strength and hope and life and beauty into the lives of others, and thus be a community and be individuals who walk in the way of love.” - Rev. Jonathan Myers